


Tainted Righteousness

by J_Justin_J



Series: Short Stories by Jerome J.J. Rooy [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Fantasy, Gay Male Character, M/M, Paranormal, Supernatural Elements, Vampire Hunters, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:42:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28732143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_Justin_J/pseuds/J_Justin_J
Summary: Ariel, leader of The Seraph Order, leads his brothers-in-arms to dispatch the last of the Ancient vampires, Janos. Yet everyone aside from the two are aware of their past relationship and the consequence of that.
Series: Short Stories by Jerome J.J. Rooy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2106351
Kudos: 1





	Tainted Righteousness

**Author's Note:**

> The characters in Tainted Righteousness are original characters, and serve the purpose of occupying numerous worlds that will form part of a short series I will be writing and publishing to numerous sites to build up my portfolio as a creative writer.

The sky is an artistic canvas with masterful strokes of reds, oranges, and pinks, as the sun begins to seek rest. It passes behind the snow-capped mountain line making way for hungry darkness that swallows the dying light. Moonlight moves about the night-sky followed by stars, settling behind a grand-decrepit castle that looms over a stone masonry bridge. From below, horse hooves cross it. Each hit of iron against stone travels to the lone creature within the castle's walls.

Deep red, dust-soaked curtains ripple from one of the top rooms catching the eye of one of the men riding atop white stallions. He spurs his horse onward with a quick snap of his heels. The press of the man's armor into the horse's sides stopping it from drawing the attention of his brothers-in-arms, brothers who were once boys concerned with becoming worthy of being their country's defenders and curing the "vampire plague."

Now they are Seraphim.

Seraphim-priests were members of the vampire hunting faction, The Seraph Order. The order had one sole purpose: to purge every last vampire from their land. It has been decades since the vampire hunting crusades began, bleeding into centuries and decimating the vampire population. With only a handful of Ancients and their children left scattered to the furthest regions of the world.

"Ariel, the hour of etching our names into history is upon us."

Behind Ariel, a man wearing the ornate-horned helmets of The Seraph Order rides up beside him. Malek, like all of them, devoted himself wholly to the extermination of the undead plague. Ariel eyed the broad man next to him. He shared his feelings, yet along the edge of his awareness, a storm gathered.

"Too long has this parasite eluded us. Upon entering its undeath shall end."

The edge of bitter contempt to Ariel's words brings a fanatical smile to Malek's lips, one he sees from the wrinkling at his eyes, and those listening to their interaction. Ariel sees the joy in his eyes, and it churns his insides, for he knows the creature that dwells inside the castle far better than his brothers know. The thought nearly brings a grimace to his face, yet he holds his head with feigned strength not only as their friend but also their leader.

They dismounted their horses and readied their weapons before crossing the threshold to the height of their fates.

The oak doors keeping the castle closed off from the cold were flung open by another of Ariel's brothers-in-arms, Sariel, with a mighty kick. He was second to Ariel within their elite ranks and towered over the others when it came to stature. Sariel walked beside their leader with his knees bent, elbows tucked in before him, and blade staff leaning outward. From beneath his helm, Sariel watched the heaviness beginning to weigh on Ariel, each step taken as if wading through molasses.

"What weighs heavily so upon Ariel?"

Ariel brings his bladed gauntlet to his face, staring at the reflection. Porcelain skin, piercing blue eyes, and the jaw of a carved statue.

'Truly, an angel threads the earth to the work of the divine.'

He sneers at his reflection and screams within his mind for the voice to leave. Satisfied Laughter echoes after the demand that turns the sneer into a sadistic smile.

"Sariel, the concern you show unto me is appreciated. I walk with heaviness for the grandest hour of The Seraphim Order is upon us. Once this fiend utters one last breath of undeath will their vile species be gone from the land. Yet his death must be savored, as a quick end is an act of mercy for the vampire race."

"Brother, the beast is a terrifying thing - one of their Ancients. Its death must be quick before the blood is drawn from us."

Ariel turned to him with fire in his eyes.

"Calm your fears lest he uses it to prolong the inevitable once more. Too long has he eluded the reach of the order, yet fate favors us this night. Stand fast and _embrace_ it.

"Death is a sweet thing. Too sweet for genocidal fanatics."

The Seraphim gathered turned toward the sultry voice that carried the old tongue with it. Atop a throne nestled in the heart of the castle sat their prey with candles burning against the walls. So spent that the candlewax kept the flames alive on a thin string, where the flames struggled back and forth, casting shadows throughout the room.

He brings a goblet to his lips. Its contents unknown but Ariel catches a glimpse of the dark red liquid dancing in it.

"One _final_ meal, Janos?"

The shadows drown half of Janos in darkness, leaving the other half in the candlelight. It makes him appear otherworldly and his sadness palpable if one were to see past the false stoicism.

"Perhaps. Yet I wonder if your devotion will waver in the heart of darkness."

The candlelight dies with an abrupt end, not even the moonlight and starlight pierce through the veil. Ariel unsheathes his sword and tightens his grip; certain his knuckles have gone white beneath the gold armor protecting him. He turns with the slow steps of a predator, ears listening to find his way through the dark. Rapid breathing reaches his airs from behind him.

'The pride of the _order_ reeks of fear. It makes the mouth with hunger, yet the aroma has me gag after a time. I believe that is your doing Ariel.'

'BEGONE FROM MY MIND FO-'

A scream drowns out the near silence. It comes from all around Ariel, yet he swallows the name that rises from his throat. He refuses to call out for Malek. A weakness Ariel cannot afford to show.

Malek's screams recede.

"Brother, Malek is gone. Blast this darkness."

Ariel hears Sariel stumble in the dark and does a quick step toward the rattling of his armor. He reaches an armored hand out to his brother-in-arms. Underneath his touch, Sariel's armor buckles, then it collapses atop itself and lies in pieces on the floor. Ariel can see the armor through narrowed eyes. It is clean with neither a stain of blood nor ash. Ariel turns his palm upwards and closes it, hand balled into a fist

"Where are they fiend?"

"Fiend? I recall a time when the only words ever uttered from you to me were sweeter than nectar."

Ariel begins to twist his body then swings his sword arm. The blade arcs in front of him and slices through the air. It misses Janos, whose breath still lingers on Ariel's neck where his hair stands on end.

Vertigo begins to wash over Ariel. His feet almost give way beneath him as the darkness shifts, then twists and twists until it spins, turning Ariel's sight into a swirl.

Ariel feels nausea settle at the edge of his throat as the spinning slowly eases to a halt. The slack grasp he has on his sword sends it to the floor with a clunk. He leans forward when another body presses into his front, holding his now empty hand. His eyes move down after they settle, and he sees his prey.

Janos stares into his soul, and Ariel finds his heart bleeding with such force it threatens to burst open his chest. He pushes the Ancient into the wall behind him then Ariel brings up his other arm and presses the blade of his gauntlet against his throat. The Seraphim-warrior drinks in the other man's form; from the head of blonde hair framing his face, sorrowful lilac eyes with hints of rage and shock, to the unblemished sun-kissed skin.

"I knew vampires were evil...yet I was naive to think there were limits to the wickedness that your kind embodies."

Janos turns his head to the side, hair falling over his eyes.

"Look at me."

Ariel pushes his knee between Janos' legs stopping by the vampire's crotch and using his other hand to turn the Ancient to face him, "Look at me!"

Blood wells up along the edge of Janos' eyes, then it begins to trail down his cheeks, cheeks far too familiar with Ariel's lips.

"I came to aid you, not find myself.... longing for a vampire hunter. Each of the Seraphim hurtle toward oblivion. Kindred in death, ironically."

Ariel turns the blade and drags it down the other's chest slicing his loose shirt, watching in morbid fascination how the red line healed. He pressed the blade against the beating, undead heart of Janos before spitting in his face.

"How easily lies spill from your mouth to taint the righteous. We heralded the end of the vampire species. Now the inevitable greets you - last of the Ancients, yet you cower. Pathetic."

"You dare talk to me of cowardice? The Seraph Order is a stage where you, the puppets, dance with each pull of your strings," Ariel stands frozen as Janos' words take an unfamiliar edge as his eyes glow.

"Fearful things are the designs that propel the Seraphim, including you. Yet it is etched onto your soul, " Janos lifted his hands to Ariel cupping his face, drawing him close.

"If I am to die, then grant this condemned creature one last request. Lie with me one last time then in the afterglow, my life is yours to take. You will return with your fellow Seraphim home. False heroes, but heroes nevertheless."

Ariel presses his forehead against Janos' one, "Where... are they?"

"Safe. Unharmed in the dungeon in a temporary sleep. Upon my death, they will awake."

Janos feels the cold metal of Ariel's gauntlet grip his chin and tilt his head upwards. He crashed their lips together with a fierceness that drew a whine from the vampire.

Ariel tasted the blood-tears of Janos, a flavor that sent his stomach plummeting with guilt. Janos felt the same with each of Ariel's tears reaching their lips. Their guilt was different, yet the force behind it a final goodbye.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. 
> 
> Please let me know your thoughts down below.


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